Out of Sight in JOG fleet

by Peter Campbell on 30 Nov 2003 The JOG (Junior Offshore Group) has been an integral part of Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s annual short ocean racing championship since its inception 20 years ago, this weekend again giving good support to the regatta.

This year the fleet was strengthened with six of Australia’s newest one design classes, the Sydney 32s, making for tight racing around the short windward/leeward courses for the JPMorgan sponsored regatta.

Whilst the Sydney 32s were also racing boat-for-boat and on the same JOG rating, they could not match the regular JOG boats, in particular the well-rated Masrm 90, Out of Sight, skippered by CYCA member Matt Wilkinson on handicap.

Out of Sight won three of the four races on corrected time to win the series with 5 points, well clear of JOG stalwart Jeff Carter sailing his Farr 30, Fujifilm, who won the third race to finish with 9 points. Third place went to Marigot Bay, a Peterson 30 owned by Greg Daven and Alan Clark from Balmain Sailing Club, on 11 points.

Among the Sydney 32s, Dave Bull Jester from MHYC, was the top performer, finishing in front in three of the four races, with Mainstay, skippered by wellknown Brookes & Gatehouse distributor Stan Montgomery, from RPAYC, winning race two.

A disappointed non-competitor was CYCA member Rod Skellet who has sailed in seven previous short ocean racing championships. Unfortunately, the mast of his Young 31, Krakatoa, was broken during shipment from Hawaii after Karatoa competed in this year’s TransPac.

Cone of Silence, Jamie Neil’s Reichel/Pugh 30 with a canting keel, was fastest boat in the JOG fleet but could not overcome its big rating handicap, finishing last on corrected time in every race.